OAG: Election risks wasting budget for nothing

BANGKOK, 10 Jan 2014 The Office of Auditor General of Thailand (OAG) urges the Election Commission (EC) to reconsider organizing the general election next month, saying a large sum of money would be wasted should the election result get nullified.

The OAG has sent a letter to President of the Election Commission Supachai Somcharoen, asking him to reconsider hosting the national polls scheduled on February 2nd. The office deems that there are too many factors threatening the polls to fail, adding that the election failure means the nation would waste a massive amount of money without any returns and the expenditure would double when another election has to be organized back to back.

The EC earlier estimated that it would spend more than 3.8 billion baht on the polls while voters both in and out of the country would have to shell out transportation expenses to travel to the voting venues.

The OAG thus implores the EC to thoroughly contemplate its decision regarding the election, pointing out that, given the current stage of political situation, the polls should only be organized when it is clear that the result would be accepted by the majority, in order to optimize the use of election budget.